Online Purchase Scams Quiz

Having prior knowledge of fraud and the methods and behaviors of scammers help prevent interaction with and loss from online fraud. Take our quizzes to learn more about how scams work and how you can stay safer online.

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1. When paying online, which payment method offers the best protection?

Debit Card Payment apps (such as Zelle, Venmo, or PayPal) Credit card Gift card Wire transfer

Incorrect. Debit cards offer some protections, but not as many as credit cards. Check with your bank to learn what protections you have.

Incorrect. Not all payment apps provide fraud protections. Learn which fraud protections are provided for your payment app.

Correct! Credit card payments are traceable. You have a better chance of getting your money back than you do with the other options.

Incorrect. If somebody asks you to pay with a gift card it’s a red flag. Gift cards are not traceable, which makes them perfect for scams.

Incorrect. It can be very difficult to get your money back after you’ve wired it.

2. If a website shows the padlock symbol in the address bar, I am safe to shop.

True False

Not necessarily. The website may be secure, but it could still be a fake website. Take time to do more research to make sure it’s legitimate

Correct! the website may be secure, but it could still be a fake website. Take time to do more research to make sure it’s legitimate

3. You'd like to purchase from a website you've never visited before. To protect yourself from a scam, you should do all the following except:

Research the age of the domain. Confirm there’s a padlock in the address bar to ensure my shared information is secure. Research a third-party website to see if the URL has been reported as a fake website (BBB.org, BBB Scam Tracker, or another website) All of the above

This is an important step. If the website was created in the last year, proceed with extreme caution (it may have been created quickly to scam people]. However, there are other steps you should take.

A padlock demonstrates that the website is safely collecting your information. However, it could still be fake. Take other steps to ensure it’s legitimate.

Researching a third-party source will help you determine if the URL was reported as a fake website. But it’s important to check other things as well.]

Correct! Before you purchase something from a new website that is not well known, take time to do your research to determine it is legitimate.

4. A great hat popped up on my social media feed that I want to buy. I checked the comments in the post, and I read the reviews on the website, so I am safe to make the purchase. True or False?

True False

Incorrect. It's very difficult to tell the difference between fake reviews/comments and real ones. Take time to do more research before you buy

Correct! It's very difficult to tell the difference between a fake review and a real one. Take time to do more research before you buy.

5. Which is the sign of a website that has added security?

The logo looks legitimate “https” appears in the address bar. It ends in “.com” It appears in search engine results

Not quite. While trusted brands have logos we may recognize, scammers are able to use them to seem legitimate.

Correct! The “S” in HTTPS stands for “secure,” which means it has an extra layer of security. Remember, though, that even though a site has added security, no site is 100% guaranteed to never be hacked.

LEARN MORE: SHOP SAFE ONLINE

Sorry. Many websites, both safe and unsecure, use .com in their address.

Sorry. There are many reasons a website may appear in search results. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the site is secure.

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